Allen Family Adventures

School finally ended and we were able to leave for Idaho.  It is a 3 day drive of about 11 hours each day.  I totaled everything and from the time we left MS to the time we pulled into my parents' driveway we were in the car for 31 1/2 hours of the 57 hours.  It was long, but really uneventful...which is a good thing on a roadtrip.  We were all glad for the time we could get out and play at the park at the TLFs (temporary lodging facilities on base...ie base hotels/apartments) or when we finally reached Idaho and could just stay out of the car.  Each day we left around 5am which meant we were able to eat dinner at the TLF and then play for a bit until bedtime.  Hopefully our return trip will be just as boring and uneventful.

The girls got punchcards to use during the summer for free admittance to the Skate Zone.  As a reward for doing a great job in school I decided to take them.  I rented skates for all 4 of us.  The kids tried for about the first 30 minutes.  Lizzy kept falling down until they got her skates with tighter wheels.  Katie just stuck to the wall.  I think after one or two falls, she didn't want to do it anymore.  Junior did surprisingly well.  He looked more like he was walking/shuffling than skating, but he didn't seem afraid to fall.  But...after only a short time they were ready to be done with the skates and go play in the ball/jungle gym area.  So glad I paid for them to play on play equipment when I can go to a park for free. Just glad that a friend of mine and her kids were there too.  That meant the kids had a friend to play with on the play equipment and I had a friend to skate with.

Beginning the end of April (actually on Katie's bday) through the beginning of June we have been busy with T-ball up on base.  Since T is gone, we were given "dePLAYment passes."  These passes allow each kid to play a sport for free.  So we decided T-ball would be a fun way to pass some of the time.  The girls were put on the same team in the 5-7 year old group.  They were the Cardinals and had a really great mom for their coach...and it wasn't me.  She worked really well with each of the kids.  Lizzy absolutely loved it.  Katie...well, she is a different story.  She loved playing in the dirt.  She didn't want to really pay attention and I have learned that maybe she needs a more engaging sport (like soccer) that is constantly moving.  Overall, I saw both of them improve throughout the season.  Lizzy even hit a few times off the coach (3 tries with a pitch 2 on the T).  Since Junior is younger he was put in the "Smart Start" program.  With this the parent is working with the kids more one on one with the help of the coach (can I tell you how glad I didn't pay for it myself to drive up to base and work with my own child the whole time with only small input from the coach).  But, Junior absolutely loved it.  He can actually (if the pitching is good) hit off a pitch versus just from a T.  Maybe a little of the Law family baseball talent has rubbed off on him.  Junior would have been completely happy to be playing with the big kids...and he would have been able to hold his own at it.  The only thing he struggled with was letting the other kids get the ball when it was hit.  He wanted to run from short stop to get a ball going down the first base line.  He was just ready to play ball. Of course the highlight for the kids was the cool trophy at the end along with the pizza party.  Sorry for the influx of pics, that is what happens when you have 3 kids in sports at the same time.